About this stamp
Commemorative Postage Stamp on 50 Years of ICRISAT
The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) was established on 28 March 1972 through a memorandum between the Government of India and the Ford Foundation. For the past five decades, ICRISAT has worked with a vision of building a prosperous, food-secure, and resilient dryland tropics across Asia and Africa, aiming to reduce poverty, hunger, malnutrition, and environmental degradation.
Transforming Dryland Agriculture
Drylands span over 6.5 million sq. km. across 55 countries, home to more than 2 billion people. ICRISAT’s research focuses on crops best suited to these regions, such as millets, sorghum, chickpea, pigeonpea, and groundnut—nutritious, climate-smart, and highly resilient crops vital to sustainable food systems.
ICRISAT works directly with millions of smallholder farmers, introducing improved crop varieties, hybrids, and modern farming technologies. Its holistic approach covers the entire agricultural value chain, with special emphasis on women and youth, promoting both gender-sensitive and nutrition-sensitive agriculture.
Research, Innovation, and Global Partnerships
ICRISAT’s strength lies in world-class research and innovation, ranging from:
- Genebanks and genomics
- Modern crop breeding and gene editing
- Climate-smart and natural resource management
- Agribusiness models and digital solutions
- Policy research and seed systems
Through collaboration with the Government of India, ICAR, agricultural universities, state departments, and international partners, ICRISAT has delivered technologies that benefit farmers in both India and sub-Saharan Africa, aligning closely with national priorities and global sustainability goals.
Building a Sustainable Future
ICRISAT contributes directly to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 1, 2, 3, 5.b, and 13.1), working to transform dryland agriculture from subsistence to profitable enterprise. The future of food systems in these regions lies in making agriculture sustainable, resilient, inclusive, and nutrition-sensitive—an engine of rural prosperity that balances human needs with environmental sustainability.
Philatelic Tribute to 50 Years of ICRISAT
To honor five decades of pioneering agricultural research, the Department of Posts has issued a Commemorative Postage Stamp on 50 Years of ICRISAT. This stamp is a tribute to ICRISAT’s unwavering commitment to fighting hunger, reducing malnutrition, and protecting ecosystems in the drylands, serving millions of farmers and communities worldwide.
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